The first summit in the “Republic of Korea–Central Asia” format will be held in Seoul on September 16. The high-level meeting will discuss opportunities to develop cooperation in areas such as critical minerals, energy and the diversification of global supply chains.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, the heads of state of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will participate in the summit.

According to the Office of the President of South Korea, Seoul aims to contribute to the diversification of international supply chains by combining the rich mineral and energy resources of Central Asian countries with South Korea’s expertise in exploration, development and processing.

South Korea also plans to expand cooperation in relevant areas, taking into account the specific needs of Central Asian countries in infrastructure and industrial equipment. This is expected to create opportunities for South Korean companies to further develop their activities in the region.

The summit will be the first multilateral meeting between the leaders of South Korea and the Central Asian states. Seoul also plans to expand the scope of cooperation with the region in the future beyond resources and infrastructure to advanced areas such as artificial intelligence, science and technology, and combating climate change.

With the summit, the cooperation mechanism between South Korea and the Central Asian countries is expected to be elevated from the ministerial level to the level of heads of state. The adoption of a “Seoul Declaration” is also expected with the aim of establishing a foundation for long-term cooperation.

Ahead of the summit, President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung will hold bilateral meetings with the President of Uzbekistan on September 14, with the leaders of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan on September 15, and with the leaders of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan on September 16.

Following the summit, the President of the Republic of Korea will participate in a business meeting together with the heads of the five Central Asian states. The meeting is expected to focus on strengthening ties between businesses in South Korea and Central Asian countries and discussing new opportunities for cooperation.

The first “Republic of Korea–Central Asia” summit is described as an important diplomatic event aimed at bringing multifaceted cooperation between South Korea and the Central Asian region to a new level.